Dear Henry

Your soccer team was the Dophins. They mentioned that in your obituary. I don't think your Takoma Park T-ball team had a name. Jack is playing for the White Sox of Bethesda Chevy Chase Little League and Joe is once again a Pirate in the Capitol City Little League.

The Pearls are a great family. Reading this made me very happy for them.



Eureka Boy Who Underwent Rare Bone Marrow Transplant Now A Little League Shark

By Deanne Lane

(KSDK) - There are many stories and many people I've met during my more than 20 years at NewsChannel 5. I've perhaps learned the most about hope from Matthew Pearl, a 10-year-old Eureka, Mo., boy -- make that young man.

Matthew has experienced and been dealt more in his young life than many of us will in a lifetime.

To call Matthew and his family survivors is an understatement. The Pearls have watched not one, but two of their children battle a life-threatening blood disorder known as Fanconi anemia.

Matthew's sister, Alex, had a rare bone marrow transplant years ago and continues to get strong. Matthew underwent a similar procedure almost a year ago and still has a long way to go.

"It's hard to breathe. He is having breathing issues. We are checking pulmonary -- it's gonna be follow up for years. It's nine months post, so to be out here and going to school and in our home and in bed is absolutely a blessing. It's unbelievable," said his mother Diane.

Matthew is not only back at school, he is playing Little League baseball with his buddies. His teammates on the Eureka Sharks team have also learned from their friend and his ordeal.

"He scored the first run of the year. The kids came and picked him up. We lost that game and none of them cared. It's been great. It turned out to be what I hoped it would be. The kids all learned from it. They all stuck together as a team and I don't think anybody had any other thoughts. The only way it could be would be that he'd be back out this season. It's been great," said coach Blake Fischer.

The next step for Matthew and his family? They hope to meet his donor and extend their thanks.